


To Meet your Shadow

by VickytheSnake



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Dramatic irony abound, Edelgard meets a lifelong friend, Gen, Short Story, Young Edelgard von Hresvelg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:35:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22624141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VickytheSnake/pseuds/VickytheSnake
Summary: One day, Edelgard Von Hresvelg is approached by two of her father's top advisors. As a middle child among her 11 siblings, she's perplexed when they offer her the service of the heir to Marquis Vestra's title as a vassal. But...on that rainy morning , under the Harpstring Moon, Edelgard begins her path down a road she doesn't even see looming ahead, her new shadow at her side.
Kudos: 14





	To Meet your Shadow

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone. This is the first of a series of prompt based stories about Edelgard Von Hresvelg and her path through the events of Fire Emblem 3 Houses! I hope you all enjoy!

It was a grim morning in the Adrestian Capital of Enbarr. A morning that brought in rolling clouds laden with unfallen rain, and sent the animals outside the great palace gates cowering in burrows and trees in the grim anticipation of a coming storm.

The look on the face of the older boy standing before the young Princess Edelgard wasn’t much sunnier. 

He was flanked, of course, by his father. The Marquis Von Vestra, a tall and foreboding man with piercing eyes and a severe, thin mustache, always gave Edelgard an unpleasant shiver whenever he was around. Perhaps it was the way his eyes were always so critical and cold. Perhaps it was the way the reports he whispered into her father’s ear made the Emperor frown. 

It made her wonder just what dark secrets he held to upset her father so...but she dared not ask. As a middle child of the Imperial Empire, she wasn’t likely to ever ascend to the throne. Even if she was the only of her siblings to be blessed with the gift of a crest.

On the boy’s other side...the Prime Minister Von Aeigir himself. The large, full bellied man had an ever present smile on his face. One Edelgard was sure didn’t reach his eyes. He was absently smoothing out his mustache, glancing between the young girl and the older boy with a constant bobbing of his head.

It made him look like a bird, she thought. Like a big, round turkey. 

She giggled softly, earning a look from the older boy that quickly smothered the laughter. 

“Princess Edelgard.” the Prime Minister began, hefting himself up to a straight-backed, imperious position. “Now that you are getting older, it’s high time you took on a proper vassal.”

She stared at him with large lilac eyes, before turning her attention to the young man instead. His golden-eyed stare locked with hers, as he brushed some of his hair from his face. 

He seemed so serious. So grim. For a moment she could picture herself on the Imperial throne, listening with grim conviction as he whispered dark secrets into her ear. Just like her father. She shook her head physically, to rid herself of the image. It was something that simply would not happen.

The Prime Minister took that as a refusal, however.

“I’m sure you understand just how intertwined the families of Hresvelg and Vestra are, my dear.” He placed a hand upon her shoulder, making her skin crawl. 

“They have served your family for generations, and will serve for generations to come.” His smile stretched below his curled red mustache. “It will be an honor to have one such as young Hubert here as your retainer, do you not agree?” 

“Of course.” She said, her voice small. Absently, she tugged the lightly mussed strands of light brown braid of hair that fell over her shoulder. “But why me? Why not my brothers or sisters?”

The Marquis snorted, crossing his arms. “None of them bear a crest, Lady Edelgard. When the time comes, they may prove...lacking.” 

Princess Edelgard’s lips curled into a small frown. “My father wouldn’t be happy to hear you call his other children lacking, Marquis, sir.” She said, turning her dainty little nose up to the stormy sky. “To say such a thing...that’s almost disloyalty!” 

That brought a little smirk, and a half smothered chuckle to the older boy opposite her. Subtle enough to earn a glare from his father, but not to alert the Prime Minister in the least. 

“Nevertheless.” The Marquis said with a dark look in his eyes. “...my son will prove a capable retainer for you, Lady Edelgard. He will guard you, assist you in any way you wish. From this day on, as I am for your father, he is your shadow. Where you walk, he shall follow. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir…” Edelgard whispered, glancing back at the boy. “He’s to be my shadow.” 

Above them...the first few drops of rain began to fall, pattering onto the stone below. In a moment, the sky would open up, and the stone pathways and hunched roofs of Enbarr would be awash with the fresh rain of the Harpstring Moon. 

Marquis Vestra smiled, his lips tight. “Then it will be so. May he serve you well, my princess.” WIth a stiff boy, he nudged the boy forward. 

“May he prove an apt servant. One who will carry you into glory, my dear.” the Prime Minister smiled. “We shall leave you two to it, then!” 

Together, the men turned, walking away as the first drops of rain struck Edelgard’s cheeks. 

Meeting the boy’s determined stare, she smiled. “I hope my path is one you’ll be happy to walk with me, Hubert Von Vestra…”

Her fingers fidgeted with one another, clicking nail on nail before she offered him her hand. “And I hope we’ll become good friends.”


End file.
